Flat-bed manifolding machine



May 22, 1928. 1,670,787

J. Q. SHERMAN El AL FLAT BED MANIFOLDING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 29.1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTOP/VfVi May 22, 1928. 1,670,787

J. Q. SHERMAN ET AL FLAT BED MANIFOLDING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 29-1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 //VVf/V7 0/?S 7 W. Q MAM Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN a. mum Ann mam w. unrznaaQor narrow, 01110; sun ASBIGNOR TO sunsnnamm.

FLAT-BED MANIFOIDING MACHINE.

Original application filed December 29, 1920, Serial No. 488,208, newPatent No. 1,588,555, dated In"! 10, 1925. Divided and this applicationfiled January 30, 1825. Serial No. 5,799.

This application is a division of our Patent N 0. 1,529,555, dated March10, 1925.

Our invention relates to flat bed manifolders of the type wherein thereare a number of webs of paper with forms imprinted upon the webs, theproblem being to feed these webs in a convenient manner, and to ali themaccurately for receiving correctly 0- cated impressions upon allsuperimposed forms.

Among other things our invention is dirooted to means for supplyingpaper webs from a storage cabinet, in proper condition of alignment bothlongitudinally and laterally and in doing this without any separatemanual operation over and above those done in feeding the paper over themachine platen after they have been written upon.

We also provide means for insuring a proper riding of the paper websover the carbon paper employed in duplication of the impressions formedupon the topmost web, and further extend the usefulness of this means soas to serve as a member for breaking loose adhesions of carbon paper tothe webs fed between it.

We have found that where a large number of webs of paper and carbonpaper are used that it is very diflicult to get proper feed andregistration, and our invention is directed to the handling of up to adozen or more webs of paper, as well as to the usual two or three copiesusually employed in the autographic type of manifolder.

These ob]ects and other advantages to be noted below, we accomplish bythat certain construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinaftermore specifically pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the typewriter manifolder embodiment ofour invention.

Figure 2 is a continuation of Figure 1, the first two together making upa complete side elevation.

Fi ure 3 is a detail pers ective of the mova le device for safeguardingthe paper webs for a smooth sliding over the carbon paper, and also forjogging loose carbon paper adhesions.

Figure 4 is a view of the paper roll spindle.

Figure 5 is. a detail plan view of the cover plate and sprockets of thestorage cabinet feeding devlces.

Figure 6 is a plan view detail of the travelmg bar carrying the formengaging pins of the storage feeding device.

In a mani olding machine, such as those used in typewriting a largenumber of copies upon various business forms the provision of varioussafeguarding mechanism is obligatory. The feed is preferably of theadjustable friction disk type, as applied to autographic registers.Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that the pa er passesover the platen 31 interleave with carbon paper 32, which it will beunderstood is mounted in some suitable way so as to pass in separatesheets or webs, transversely of the ath of the paper over the platen.

The riction or tension rollers 33 is mounted on the ends of arms 34,which are pivoted at 35 alongside of the platen, and impelled by sprin s36, to maintain the roller down against t e feeding devices. For urposeof clearness the operating handle 3? aligning pin 3'1 and feed shaft 38are shown, but no other parts of the lpaper feed'other than the cammember 39. he feed will be of the adjustable friction disk type to whichwe have referred in our application Serial No. 1,858, in which alignmentis made by alignment pins 37 engaging holes in the paper.

The various webs of paper on which the forms to be filled out areprinted, pass onto the frame 40 of the typewriter manifolder over acarbon paper guarding device. Thus there are a pair of channeleduprights 41 at each side of the back end of the machine, these uprightsbeing adapted to receive a plurality of shafts or bars 42, which haveenlarged heads 43 to serve as spacers. The paper webs are brought upover these bars or shafts, and thus separated from each other. On eachbar is mounted a pair of seim-flexible sheets 44, which may be of thinmetal or other material, and which extend from the bars, forwardly ofthe machine, passing over a roll or bar 45, and arranged at their forward ends so that between the two leaves of each pair is a sheet of thecarbon paper.

The roll or bar 45 is mounted on a air of extensions 46, from the twouprig ts hitherto mentioned, and the structure 0 the two uprights andtwo extensions is mounted on the inside of the machine frame so that.it. will slide longitudinally thereof.

Preferably a channeled uide 47 is provided for each side of the frame,just below its upper edge, with the extensions 46 provided with a rib 48to slide in said guides, one or both of the extensions having a hat}-tile 49 by means of which the movement is accomplished.

When the webs of paper to be written upon are brought up spaced betweenthe guard carrying bars or rolls and led forward over the platen, theywill be separated by the shield or guards made up of the pairs of sheets44. The carbon paper is interleaved between the webs of paper, but themeeting edges of the carbon paper sheets are set between the ends of theshields, which extend forward far enough to engage the edges of thecarbon paper.

After the writing has been done, and it is desired to feed the websforwardly over the platen, the operator may move the shield carryingframe structure forwardly, so as to run the various shields in betweenthe carbon paper and the paper written upon, thereby breaking up anyadhesions, and smoothing out the assembly so that it will feed regularlywithout unequal friction or pull back. As has been stated, we have foundthat one of the chief difliculties in the handling of a large number ofwebs of paper together with interleaved carbon paper is that the carbonpaper, unless of per feet quality will stick to the paper, therebycausing trouble both in the paper feed, and in the destruction of thecarbon paper.

It will be noted further that as a result of this device for freeing thewebs of paper from all adhesions and shielding the carbon edges, thepaper is put into a condition of hardly any friction or tension at allso that during the operation of the feeding devices there will beperfect freedom of adjustment of the webs on each other, when they arecalled to do so.

It is necessary. however, to provide a loose portion of paper betweenthe storage dcvices, in which the paper is stored in rolls of convenientsize, and the writing mechanism. Unless this is done, the paper will notbe free for the adjustment referred to.

In order to do this we provide a method of withdrawin the webs of paperfrom the feeding device, and maintaining a loop of paper at all times,by means of coupling up the paper feed now described with the storagecabinet feed, and leaving a loop of paper in an amount sufiicient toleave a freely pan ing portion at all times between the two ee s.

Thus there is the cabinet 50, in which the paper is stored in rolls 51,said paper being mounted on spindles 52, which have core filling disks53 thereon.

The paper then passes up over interspaced idler rolls 54, and thenceover a plate 55, which has formed len thwise thereof slots 56, having awavy out inc, and terminating in large ends 57. A top plate 58 havinglike slots therein, is hinged at 59 to the cabinet, and when folded downover the paper, is spaced away therefrom and rests against a stop 60, ona bracket at the forward end of the cabinet. At this mint a latch 61engages a nose 62 on the end of the plate, this latching device beingduplicated on each side of the machine, by preference. The plate hascurled ends for hinging at 59, and engaging the abutment 60.

Mounted on a fixed shaft 63, beneath the supporting plate for the paperwebs, are sprockets 64 and mounted in a bar 65, is another shaft 66,which also carries sprockets 67 similar to the sprockets firstmentioned. In Figure 5 the sprocket arrangement is the same as for shaft63 and the sprockets 64 thereon.

The bar 65 is adjustable in its position lengthwise of the cabinet, bymeans of guides 68 in which the bar slides, and screws 69 engaging inthe bar, and in screw blocks 70 at the forward ends of the guides, a setscrew 71 being used to lock the adj ustcd position of the said bar. Thisbar is adjusted in order to give proper tension to the chain 73 to belater described.

A like sprocket to the ones mentioned is mounted on the feed shaft ofthe writing mechanism, as shown at 72, so that when the feed shaft isrevolved the sprocket 72 is revolved, and a chain 73 is asscd over theouter sprocket 64 and over t e sprocket 72, so as to drive the shaft 63.Chains 73 pass over the sprockets 64 at both ends of the shaft 63 andover the two s rockets 67 on shaft 66. The extra sprocket 67 on shaft 66is for use in case a separate drive is employed. The chains 73 areadjustable as in any chain by adding or subtracting links where this isnecesssary.

Mounted at desired points on the chain, and spaced apart the length ofthe desired length of paper to be fed, are short bracket pieces 74,which, as shown, are formed with channeled ends 75, which are embracedwith removable chain links 76, so as to be positioned as desired in thechains.

The brackets carry cap screws 77 which engage in elongated slots 78, incross bars 79, which are thus carried by the chains and are free tooscillate. These bars carry pins 80, which will enter the holes in theheads of the forms and as the chains are moved will feed the formsforwardly from the storage cabinet into a loop 81 arranged between thestorage cabinet and the frame of the writing mechanism. The pins 80 arearranged, by proper location of the bars, to enter the usual filingholes at the heads of printed forms on the paper to be fed. Thus thepins serve to move the aper webs along from the stora e space to t eloop 81. The offsets 56 in t e slots of the top plate 58 serve to 0g thepins so that the pa er webs will sett e down smoothly over I; e ins,thereby accomplishing an alignment 0 the webs by means of the pinengagement due to the ogging and feeding movement. The chains are notdeflected, since the bars have a slotted connection 78, thus permittingthe bars to move laterally.

It should be understood that in referring to the number of pins used.and the position of the holes, we are merely referring to 'a convenientarrangement and not intending to limit the scope of our invention.

A full complement of bars and ins is not shown, but it will be understoothat the webs of paper will be arranged so that the pins will enter theholes in the continuous web and feed along a full lengthed form or checkeach time that the paper feed is operated in the writing mechanism.

Should it be desired to operate the paper feed by electric motor, thiswill be readily possible in the mechanism now described, either for theautographic type or the larger machines using more paper.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, a storage cabinet for aplurality of webs of paper, and a feeding means for withdrawing desiredlength sections of said paper from the storage cabinet comprising a pairof chains, means for guiding said chains in a level path, pin bearingmeans having a pin thereon adapted to engage a hole formed in the paperweb, and means for mounting said pin bearing means on the chains, andfor imparting an oscillatory movement to the said pin bearing meansduring the movement of the chains.

2. A paper feeding mechanism adapted to feed and align a plurality ofwebs of paper, comprising a support for the paper and a pair of flexibleendless operating elements movable through a level feeding path, pinbearing means mounted on said elements, pins thereon adapted to engageholes formed in the paper webs, and means for imparting an oscillatorymovement to said pin hearing means during the movement of the operatingelements.

3. A paper feeding mechanism adapted to feed and align a plurality ofwebs of paper, comprising a support for the paper. means for supplyingwebs of paper for feeding over said support. a pair of flexibleoperating elements movable through a level feeding path beneath saidsupport, a pin carrier secured to and movable with said flexibleelements, said carrier being free to slide longitudinally on itsmounting, and

pins on the carrier adapted to pass up. through said support, to en ageholes formed in the paper, and means or impart- 1ng longitudinalmovement to the carrier during its movement with the flexible elements,whereby the pins are given an oscillatory movement.

4. A papcnfeeding mechanism ada ted to feed and align a p urality ofwebs 0 paper, pompnsmg a support for the paper, and a palr o flexi le eness operating elements movable on said elements, ins thereon adapted toengage holes forme in the paper webs, and means for imparting anoscillatory movement to said pin bearing means during the movement ofthe operatlng elements, comprising slots in the support through whichthe pins pass, said slots havmg a wavy outline.

5. A paper feeding mechanism adapted to feed and align a plurality ofwebs of paper, comprising a support for the paper and a pair of flexibleendless operating elements movable on said elements, pins thereonadapted to engage holes formed in the paper webs, and means forimparting an oscillatory movement to said pin bearing means during themovement of the operatmg elements, comprising slots in the supportthrough whlch the pins pass, said slots havmg a wavy outline, a covermember to come down over the paper on said support, and means forretainin said cover over the paper without frictional contact therewith.

6. In a paper feedin device for machines of the character descrl ed, thecombination with a paper support, and means for supplying paper thereto,of a pair of endless operatlng elements, a pin carrying bar mounted onsaid operatin elements, pins on the bar to extend upwar ly in thesupport and engage holes in the paper thereon, a

cross shaft, means for adjustably mounting the cross shaft, whereby itsposition with relation to the support may be adjusted, and

means on the cross shaft for receiving the endless elements, theadjustment of the shaft with relation to the support determining thelength of feed of the paper.

7. In a paper feeding mechanism of the character described, thecombination with a support and means to supply paper thereto, of a pairof shafts, endless operating members passing around said shafts, meansfor operating one of said shafts at least, a pin carrying bar mountedacross between the operating members and by them carried along thesupport, pins on the bar extending above the surface of the support toengage holes in the paper. one of said shafts being adjustable withrelation to the other to determine the length of feed, said endlessmembers being adapted to be shortened to correspond to the mutualadjustment of the shafts.

8. In a paper feeding mechanism of the character described, thecombination with a, support and means to supply paper thereto, of a pairof shafts, endless operating members passing around said shafts, meansfor operatinp one of said shafts at least. a pin carrying bar .mountedacross between the operating members and by them carried along, thesupport, pins on the bar extending above the surface of the support toengage holes in the paper, one of said shafts being adjustable withrelation to the other, said support for the paper having; slots of wavyoutline therein, to impart an oscillatorv movement to the pins on saidbar.

9.111 a manifolding machine. the combination with a support. over whichwebs of paper pass. said webs having feed apertures formed therein. of apin feeding device having a pin portion to engage the apertures in saidwebs, means for moving the pin feeding device through a path along withthe paper, and a guiding clement adapted to impart to the pin portionthereof, a motion in art crosswise of the path of the paper, herebyaligning the paper webs laterally, and the movement of the device withthe paper serving to align the webs lengthwise.

10. In a manifolding machine having means for moving a plurality of websof paper beneath a typewriter carriage, in full length sections at atime instead of step by step, a mechanism for delivering to said feeddevice a plurality of webs of paper in alignment both lengthwise andlaterally, said mechanism comprising: a support for paper storage, a bedover which the webs of paper pass, a pin feeding device mounted to movealong said bed in the path of the paper, and having a pin portion toengage apertures in the webs of paper. and a guiding means to impartmovement of the pin portion transverse its path of movement with thepaper, whereby the object named above is accomplished.

JOHN Q. SHERMAN. ALBERT W. METZNER.

